David Moyes’ side could do with a dusting of magic right now…
Dimitri Payet in action for West Ham.
West Ham United could do with a little dusting of magic right now to counter the landslide that has dominated the last few weeks of action.
A scintilla of doubt surrounding David Moyes’ managerial acumen in the Irons dugout has festered into something damaging, with the 6-0 home defeat against Arsenal in the Premier League last weekend indicative of the present malaise at London Stadium.
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West Ham have not tasted victory in any competition since beating the Gunners in their own backyard in late December, and having crashed out of the FA Cup to Bristol City, the need for a spark of… something, has never been greater.
Lucas Paqueta, infectious and influential in his playmaking prowess, has been on the sidelines since the start of January and his creativity is sorely missed, though there are plenty of former phenoms to would make a marked impact right now.
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Moyes will continue to plot and ponder, turning the rough coals of an idea into the diamond of a polished plan, but time is running out for the Scotsman, who will be in big trouble if his Irons outfit fall to Nottingham Forest in the top-flight on Saturday afternoon.
Some fine talents could indeed improve the squad right now. Hark back to Dimitri Payet, or to Jesse Lingard. One of the finest, who perhaps ultimately disappointed, is none other than Felipe Anderson. At his best, the silky Brazilian would be the perfect solution to the club’s developing crisis.
West Ham’s signing of Felipe Anderson
July 2018: Moyes had been let go after saving West Ham from relegation during a short-term stint and Manuel Pellegrini was two months into his tenure in east London.
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The Chilean boss, Premier League 2013/14 champion with Manchester City, was the perfect fit to complete a summer of exciting acquisition and the standout deal was for Lazio winger Felipe Anderson, who completed a club-record £36m move.
Dubbed “one of the most exciting talents in European football” by then Director of Football Mario Husillos, Anderson was regarded as a major coup after some excellent campaigns in Serie A and was the perfect offensive star to root into the core of Pellegrini’s system.
West Ham: Summer 2018 Transfers
Player
Signed from
Fee
Ryan Fredericks
Fulham
Free
Issa Diop
Toulouse
£21m
Lucasz Fabianski
Swansea City
£7m
Jack Wilshere
Arsenal
Free
Andriy Yarmolenko
Borussia Dortmund
£17.5m
Fabian Balbuena
Corinthians
£6m
Felipe Anderson
Lazio
£36m
Xande Silva
Vitoria de Guimaraes
£1m
Lucas Perez
Arsenal
£4m
Carlos Sanchez
Fiorentina
Undisclosed
Source: Football.London
Anderson had been a menacing figure down the flank for Lazio over several years and had racked up 51 goal contributions across four seasons in the Italian top flight, looking like the man to take West Ham to new heights under Pellegrini’s wing.
And while he tasted with breakneck abandon, Anderson flagged early and failed to replicate a brilliant debut campaign with his consequent efforts, ultimately remembered as a player who failed to cut the mustard in the long run.
Felipe Anderson’s West Ham career
Now aged 30, Anderson is back plying his trade in Rome, and while he has impressed at the Stadio Olimpico, he will never be able to shake the disappointing decline in the Premier League.
Of course, it certainly didn’t start that way, with Anderson plundering ten goals and five assists across all competitions during the 2018/19 term, leading erstwhile Hammer, Robert Snodgrass to hail him as a “terrific talent”.
The two-cap Brazil international really was fantastic that maiden season, also averaging 1.8 key passes, 2.1 dribbles, 2.5 tackles and 6.3 successful duels per match in the Premier League, as per Sofascore, showcasing his application and eagerness to perform.
Felipe Anderson: Key Characteristics
Strengths
Weaknesses
Passing
Crossing
Dribbling
Defensive contribution
Source: WhoScored
His second season in the English capital was significantly worse than his first, with the 5 foot 9 whiz scoring just one goal across 28 appearances, also creating just four big chances in the Premier League.
There are many reasons that the South American endured such an acute downfall, his third year on Hammer books spent on loan in Portugal with Porto, where he featured just ten times and registered one lonely assist.
Given that Anderson was earning a pretty penny during his time at West Ham – a base salary of £82k-per-week across three years – he bled the club dry of as much as £44m when including his transfer fee, and while he impressed at the start, his performances devolved into alarming ineffectiveness.
felipe-anderson-lazio-serie-a
Of course, Porto might have covered some of his wages during the 2020/21 term, but given that he was sold back to Lazio for just €3m (£2m) in 2021, it was hardly the investment of the era.
It really is a far cry from his glowing beginnings, with his early performances leading teammate Aaron Cresswell to state: “I can see him becoming a fans’ favourite like Dimitri [Payet]. He’s a similar type of player, coming off the left, creating things and scoring goals. He is our top scorer now, he has been fantastic for us.”
Dimitri Payet for West-Ham-United
Payet has etched himself into West Ham lore forever, his feats transcending the temporal restraints that throw most Premier League players into the past after playing their last. The Frenchman is quite simply one of the division’s most iconic players.
Dimitri Payet’s West Ham career
Anderson had many qualities that drew these comparisons to Payet and while there was a likeness, Payet sits in a league of his own when at the top of his game in London.
Signed from Marseille for just £10m back in 2015, Payet arrived with a weight of expectation and duly delivered, posting 12 goals and 15 assists during the 2015/16 campaign, thriving under Slaven Bilic and spearheading his side toward a seventh-place Premier League finish.
Much like Anderson, Payet failed to reach the same level in his second season and became afflicted with a severe bout of homesickness, demanding an exit in January 2017 and receiving his wish the upcoming summer, re-joining Marseille for £25m.
To be fair, West Ham made a healthy profit on the playmaker and have some breathtaking moments indelibly woven into the club’s highlight reel.
But the same cannot be said for Anderson, who cost more, was sold for less and ended up being a bigger disappointment, remarked to be “unplayable” by Juve correspondent Adam Digby several years back – referencing both his electric ability and ability to produce such terrible efforts that he cannot be handed a starting berth.
Dimitri-payet-west-ham
Ultimately, it was right for Anderson to move on just like it was necessary to grant Payet a return to his homeland; both players came and conquered but failed to cement their legacies.
A snapshot of brilliance portended the recent riches under Moyes’ leadership, and while few can emulate the sheer skill and art of such players’ craft, West Ham have now achieved incredible success across multiple campaigns.
Still, just imagine the likes of Anderson competing on the left for the club right now; at his best, he’s just what Moyes needs to turn the tide.
